Perimenopause, Power & Building a Business When Your Body Is Changing
Feb 26, 2026
Why Women’s Health Is a Business Conversation (Whether We Like It or Not)
This episode came together because of a very real moment I had a while back — waking up at 2 a.m., wide awake, brain on fire with ideas, unable to fall back asleep. I chalked it up to stress, creativity, ambition… all the usual things.
And then someone casually said, “That sounds like perimenopause.”
I did not love that answer.
But it turns out, it was an important one.
In this episode of This Mother Means Business, I sat down with Natalie Perkins, founder of PAUZ Health, to talk about perimenopause, women’s health, and what happens when your body starts shifting while you’re still very much in the building years of your life and business.
Because here’s the truth: we can talk strategy all day long, but if you’re exhausted, not sleeping, foggy, irritable, or disconnected from your body, none of it sticks.
Natalie’s Story: When High Achievement Meets Hormone Chaos
Natalie’s business started the way many of the best ones do — through lived experience.
She was a high-performing executive, deeply career-focused, thriving on responsibility and leadership. And then, slowly, things started to unravel. Night sweats. Mood changes. Brain fog. A growing sense that something was off — but no clear explanation for why.
Like so many women, her instinct wasn’t something is happening to my body — it was what’s wrong with me?
It wasn’t until things reached a breaking point that she began researching menopause, hormone therapy, and the complete lack of education and access women face when it comes to this stage of life. That realization became the foundation for PAUZ Health — a virtual care platform designed to support women through perimenopause and menopause with real medical care, education, and ongoing support.
What Perimenopause Actually Looks Like (Spoiler: It’s Not Just Hot Flashes)
One of the most important parts of this conversation was breaking down what perimenopause actually looks like — because it’s wildly misunderstood.
Yes, hot flashes and night sweats are common.
But so are:
- Sleep disruption
- Anxiety and mood swings
- Brain fog and focus issues
- Joint pain and frozen shoulder
- Vaginal dryness and bladder changes
- Phantom smells (yes, really)
Perimenopause is essentially an internal hormone rollercoaster. Estrogen doesn’t slowly decline — it spikes and drops unpredictably, and because hormone receptors exist throughout the body, symptoms can show up in very different ways for different women.
Which is why so many women feel confused, dismissed, or told that “everything looks normal.”
No, You Don’t Have to Just Live With It
This part matters.
So many women — especially high-achieving women — default to pushing through. We normalize feeling awful. We assume exhaustion, irritability, and pain are just the cost of ambition, motherhood, or aging.
They’re not.
Natalie shared how menopause hormone therapy, lifestyle changes like strength training and increased protein, and proper medical support can dramatically improve quality of life. Not just for symptom relief, but for long-term health — bone density, heart health, brain health.
Perimenopause is not something to “get through.”
It’s a critical window to course-correct.
Why This Is a Business Conversation
Most of the women listening to this podcast are moms. They’re building businesses. They’re leading teams. They’re carrying mental load that never shuts off.
Feeling terrible all the time is not a sustainable business strategy.
And pretending our bodies don’t matter because we’re “not done yet” with our careers is a fast track to burnout. Supporting your health is not a detour from your goals — it’s the foundation that makes them possible.
One line from this episode stuck with me deeply:
“If you feel like shit all the time, something needs support.”
That’s not weakness. That’s awareness.
Where to Go From Here
If this conversation sparked something for you — curiosity, recognition, relief — that’s a good thing.
PAUZ Health offers virtual menopause care across Canada, along with education, assessments, treatment options, and community resources. If you’re not ready to book an appointment, following along, learning, and becoming informed is a powerful first step.
You don’t have to do it all anymore.
You don’t have to push through everything.
And you certainly don’t have to do this part alone.
This episode is your permission slip to listen to your body — and take it seriously.
And honestly? It might be one of the most important business decisions you make.
